Hoe.



E. B. WELCH, 1m

HOE. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 24 I916.

Patnted Mar. 19, 1918.

tiruTnn sTATns PATENT oirnron.

EDMON WELCH, JR., 0F MUSSELFORK, MISSOURI.

iron.

Application filed October 24, 1916.

To all whom z'tmay concern Be itknown that I, EDMON B3 VVELGH, Jr., a citizen ofv the United States, v residing at illusselforlcin the county of Chariton and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and:usefulImprovements in Hoes, of which the. following-is a specification.

This invention=relates to an improvement inhoes andmore particularly to hand implements of this nature such as are particularly adaptedfor use in. weeding'or in cultivatingthe surface of the soil.

A11=Obj60t of my invention is to provide a hoe which has the blade thereof so arranged thatit: maybe moved through the ea'rth in a plane substantially parallel with the' surface of the ground, thus allowing all weeds'or other foul growth to be felled with out the effort usually required in the manipulation of-the standard forms ofhoes.

A further object is to provide a blade which is substantially rectangular or of other desired shapesharpened around its entire peripheral edge and so mounted in conjunctioniwiththe handle thatit may be readily removed-for sharpening and readjusted to present a new cutting edge at the point which is receiving the greatest wear in the use of the implement;

Yet another object lies iniso constructing the blade and the fastening means therefor that when the blade is adjusted to a fitted position with respect to the handle, this adjustment will be maintained until the fastening means has been again released.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter set forth in connection with the drawings and then more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings T Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the head of a hoe constructed after the manner of my invention,

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view through this head structure, and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view to better illustrate the manner of constructing the blade.

As is here illustrated, the blade is made substantially square or rectangular in plan, although it will be understood that this blade might be circular, triangular, or of any other desired shape which will best accomplish the action desired in use. The blade Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedMar. 19, 1918.

Serial No, 127,430. 1

1 is constructed of a thin sheet of metal which is sharpened at its edge to give the proper cuttingaction in the use of the hoe, and:in the present instance this sharpening is accomplished by beveling the top surface of the blade at the edge as indicated at 2 so that the lower side of the blade is left substantially fiat throughout its entire extent, this top beveling of the blade presenting the construction in such form that as the hoe is worked through the ground the beveled-edge 2 will act to hold the blade in the proper working position where the tendency might be'for the blade to ride out of the loosetop soil if the blade be beveled on its lower face, to form the cutting edge. The central portion of the blade, where the same is-to lee-secured with the handle, is cut through and is expanded upwardly as better illustrated Fig. 3 so that a polygonal shaped opening is provided at 3 with the metal which is spread out or folded back to form this-opening extending in a rim-like flange-1 therearound.

he handle 5 which is preferablymade of the standard form andconstruction has ashank 6 secured. in the end thereof, and this shank is preferably given a slight curve downwardly: and then terminates in a widened-out socket portion 7 which is preferably made flat on its upper and lower faces. This socket portion 7 has a circular opening through the upper side thereof as indicated at 8, and a. polygonally shaped socket 9 is provided on the lower side in line with this circular opening 8 and shaped to conform to the shape of the rim-like extension flange 4 of the blade 1. A clamp bolt 10 has the head-end of the shank made of polygonal form as indicated at 11 to fit the opening 3 of the bladel and the head 12 of this bolt is preferably widened out gradually from the polygonally shaped portion 11 of the shank and at its top is fiat so that as the blade is fitted to the handle by having the rim-like flange 4 fitted in the socket opening 9 of the socket portion or head of the handle shank 6, and the clamp bolt 10 is fitted through the openings 3 and 8, the head 12 will present the fiat surface thereof in line with the flat lower face of the blade 1. The shank of the bolt 10 is screw-threaded and a clamp nut 13 is screwed upon this threaded end of the bolt to bear against the upper side of the socket portion 7 and thus the clamp bolt will be drawn tightly in against the blade 3 while this blade will be secured in its fitted mounting in the socket 9 and thus the blade will be held rigidly in conjunction with the handle in angular disposition with respect of the longitudinal extent of the handle and will at the same time be prevented from shifting in its angular disposition or from twisting around the clamp bolt.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a hoe Which is so constructed that it may be used with facility and etfi ciency to work over the top soil in removing weeds therefrom as a scouring action is accomplished and that the implement might be used just as efiectively in working over the surfaces of gravel paths or drives, and in still other connections.

While in the foregoing I have illustrated and described only one form of the device, it will be understood that changes and modifications might be resorted to in the form and arrangement of the various parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not wish to be limited to the exact disclosure but only to such points as may be set forth in the claims.

I claim-:

1. A hoe comprising a handle having a shank extended therefrom and terminating in a socket portion having a polygonally shaped opening, a blade having an opening through the body thereof and a rim-like flange shaped to be received in and to fit the opening of the socket portion, and a clamp bolt fitted through the openings of the blade and the socket portion to secure the blade in rigid mounting upon the shank.

2. A hoe comprising a handle, a shank fitted to said handle and terminating in a socket portion, said socket portion provided with a polygcnally shaped opening, a blade having a plurality of cutting edges cut and expanded in its central portion to provide an opening therethrough surrounded by a rim-like flange shaped to be received in and fit the opening of the socket portion, and a clamp bolt shaped to fit the opening of the blade and through the socket portion and secured in place to rigidly mount the blade in predetermined position in conjunction with the shank.

3. A hoe comprising a handle, a shank fitted to said handle and provided with a socket portion having a polygonally shaped opening therein, a sheet metal blade provided with a plurality of cutting edges cut through and expanded in its central portion to provide an opening with a rim-like flange upstanding therearound and shaped to fit the opening, a clamp bolt shaped to be received through the opening of the blade and through the socket portion to present the top or the head thereof in the same plane with the lower face of the blade of the hoe, and a lock nut removably fitted upon the clamp bolt to rigidly secure the parts in the operative relation andto permit adjustment of the blade to present the various cutting edges thereof in operative relations.

In testimony whereof I alfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' EDMON B. \VELCH, JR.

Witnesses:

J E. NEIGHBORS, J. J. Sco'rr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of gatents,

Washington, D. C. 

